Universal joint



Apr. 3, 1923. 1,450,706

c. ANDERSON UNIVERSAL JOINT 'Fi led Mar. 25 1921 i .Z? 6 J5 Patented Apr. 3, 1923 UNITED CARL L. ANDERSON,

FAUST, ONE-FOURTH TO s ra'ras or Rooxronn, ILLINOIS,

ERIC s. EKsTRoM, A ND ONE-FOURTH T cam. E. swan- SON, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

ASSIGNOR.OF ONE-FOURTH TO LEVIN UNIVERSAL JOINT.

Application filed March 25, 1921. Serial No. 455,609.

To all whom it may concemaf:

Be it known that I, CARI. L.

citizen of the United Rockford, in the county ANDERSON, a States, residing at of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements 1n Un versal Joints, of which the following is a specification.

- This invention relates to universal joints of the trunnion type ch aracterized by a pair of terminal coupling members, a transmis- .sion member and trunnioif'connections between said members,

and has for one of its objects the provision of a novel trunnion connector unit so economy inproduction More particularly, I

constructed as to permit and durability in use. have aimed to providel .an individual trunnion connector unit for-each trunnion,

adapted to be threadingly and which tive position comprising'a bearing cap secured in operaas a through bore providing radial bearing for its trunnion, and is equipped With 'a hardened steel plug secured in the outer end of said bore, providing a very the outer end My invention ject, the provision a trunnion type,

also co efficient end thrust bearing for of the trunnion.

ntemplates as an obuniversal joint of the of a novel form of end thrust bearing for' each trunnion, consisting preferably of a plug or di sk structurally independent of each trunnion bearing and secured at the outer end ing the metal about permanently secure it'in operative fully hereinafter.

as explained more thereof by constricteach bearing member to position,

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by those familiar with this art as the invention becomes better understood by reference scription when considered with the accompanying Figu through a universal joint embodying with the trunnion member vention,

to the in connection drawings, in which re 1 is a transverse sectional view my in for the trunnion caps shown in the horizontal position, removed;

Fig.2, a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the Fig. 3, a

line 2-2 of Fig.v 1; sectional view through a trunnion connector unit, showing the parts in the course of assembly; and

Fig. 4, a sectional v1 unit completed.

ew of said connector ing an annular lubricant bearing units designated 18 may be drilled through following de-f trating the present invention I have taken 1 as an example, a trunnion type universal ointof the kind in which the trunnions are formed at the ends of the terminal members and in which the transmission member is in the form of anvannular housing. The terminal members designated generally by 6 and7, each terminate in a pair co-axial trunnions 8, these parts being preferably forgings, hardened, the trunnions being ground to finish on their peripheral and end surfaces. The transmission housing 9 may be of any suitable or preferred construction and at present is in one piece, havreservoir 11 formed by a one-piece core, as disclosed in application Serial No. 387,272. The transmission housing is quarteringly bored to provide radial openings 12 intersecting the lubricant reservoir 11; and these openings are threaded for the reception of trunnion-connector generally by 13.

Each bearing unit conslsts of a steel body having a through bore 14 and shaped to pro-- vide a hexagonal head 15 or the equivalent. The shank of the body is exteriorly threaded to fit the threaded openings observed that the outer end 16 of the bore 14 is of slightly larger diameter than the inner end, and that the outer end of the body is shaped to provide a raised edge 17, contiguous to the bore. 7 Suitable lubricant holes as the body connecting the lubricant reservoir with both the radial and end thrust bearing surfaces which will be presentl described. After the body has been sui'tab y hardened, the bore 14 will be ground to size, providing. a finished hearing surface. hardened steel plug 19 will now be pressed into the bore 16 until limited by the shoulder at its bottom. The body portion 17 will be forced or swaged into the space provided by the chamfered outer end of the plug 19, thus permanently securing the plug in the cap. The outer end of the cap and plug will then be finished flush as by grinding. It will be observed that the foregoing provides 'an exceptionally simple and inexpensive method of constructing a trunnion bearing unit, and at the same time assures accuracy and recision in the radial and end thrust trunnion bearing surof opposed the fact that the end thrust bearing member,

plug or disk as it may be termed, is structurally independent of the cylindrical bearing for the trunnion and is secured in position at the outer end ofits trunnion by constricting the metal of its supporting or contiguous wall in any of various ways, such for example as by compressing, swaging or rolling such metal inwardly over or against said member to permanently secure it in operative position. It will be understood, therefore, that this feature of m invention is in no way limitedvto the particular mode of application or to the particular species of trunnion type universal joint herein dis-- closed.

Suitable packing 22 is interposed between the inner end of each bearing unit and the adjoining shoulder on the terminal, so that when the bearing units are screwed in sufficiently to bring the end thrust surfaces 21 against the outer ends of the trunnions, the inner ends of the trunnion bearings will be effectually sealed, providing an oil and dust proof structure. Any suitable lock nut means such as plates 23, may be employed for preventing displacement of the bearing units.

It is believed that the foregoing conveys a clear understanding .of the objects prefaced above, and while I have illustrated and described but a single application of my in vention, it should be understood that it may be embodied in any trunnion type universal joint, and that changes mightbe made in etails of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims, in which a I claim:

1. In a universal 'oint, the combination with terminal coupling members and 'a transmissionmember, of trunnion connec- .tions between said members, each comprisbore,

the outer end of said trunnion for taking ing an exteriorly threaded bearing cap having a through bore providing radial bearingfor its trunnion, and a hardened metallic plug secured in the outer end of said providing a bearing coniplemental to the end thrust thereof.

2. In a universal joint, the combination with coupling members and a transmission member, of trunnion connections between said" members, and bearings for said trun nions, each comprising an exteriorly threadher being :he (1 providing radial bearing for its trunnion,

and a bearing member secured to said body in the outer end of said bore and providing a bearing surface complemental to the outer end of its trunnion for taking the end thrust thereof.

3. In a universal joint, a trunnion bearing unit comprising an exteriorly threaded body having a hexagonal head or the equivalent and a through bore, the end of which adjacent to said head is of larger diameter than the opposite end, the head shaped to provide a raised portion contiguous to the bore, and a hardened steel plug having a press fit in the larger bore and secured therein by pressing said raised portion of the head into the space afforded by the chainfered outer end of the plug.

4. In a universal 'oint, the combination of a pair of termina coupling members, a transmission housing having an oil reservoir, means for connecting the terminal members and transmission housing comprising trunnions and bearing bpdies'for trunnions, each bearing body having a through bore providing radial bearing for its trunnion and having a hardened steel bearing plug secured in the outer end of said bore providing a bearing complemental -to the outer end of said trunnion for taking the end thrust thereof, each body being exteeach comprising an exteriorly threaded body,

threadingly connected with one of said members and having a through bore providing radial bearing for its trunnion, a bearing member secured to said bod in the outer end of said bore and provi ing a bearin surface complemental to the outer end 0 its trunnion for taking the end thrust thereof, and a packing between the inner end of said radial bearing and the adjacent end of its trunnion.

6. In a universal joint of the trunnion type, the combination with coupling means, transmission means and trunnions for connectin the same, of a member at the outer end 0 each trunnion providing an end thrust bearin therefor, each bearing memin position by constriction of its supportin wall.-

7. A universe joint comprising coupling members, .atransmission member, trunnions connecting said members, and a plu providing an end thrust bearing for eacg 1 portion of the p ug.

' trunnion and retained in position by metal pressed inwardl over the outer marginal outer end of such trunnion and being: structurally independent of the cylindrical bearing for such, trunnion, and means for securing each bearing member in position by constricting the contiguous CARL L. ANDERSON.

8. In ,a universal joint of the trunnion 6 type, the combination with coupling members and a transmission member, of trunnions connecting said. members, a member providing an end thrust bearing for the wall thereabout. 

